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30 Sep 21. Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range Transitions into Low Rate Initial Production.
AARGM-ER will provide U.S. Navy unmatched extended range capabilities
The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) the contract to proceed with low rate initial production (LRIP) for the AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AARGM-ER).
“LRIP marks a significant step forward for AARGM-ER and the confidence the U.S. Navy has in the program and its capabilities,” said Captain Alex Dutko, Navy Program Manager for Direct Time Sensitive Strike (PMA-242). “AARGM-ER will provide the U.S. Navy and our allies with unmatched protection.”
As the AARGM-ER prime contractor, Northrop Grumman has worked with a team of U.S. Navy and industry partners to develop an effective, production missile design, successfully achieving Milestone C in just 28 months following engineering and manufacturing development contract award. The team worked tirelessly to mitigate risk and prove system maturity.
“The evolution of the AARGM family with AARGM-ER is a major step in our ability to provide the U.S. and our allies with a superior capability to detect and defeat adversary air defense threats,” said Gordon Turner, vice president, advanced weapons, Northrop Grumman. “This milestone underscores the exceptional effort and professionalism demonstrated by the government and industry team.”
AARGM-ER is a major upgrade to existing AARGM, currently in production and fielded with the Navy and multiple allies today.
AARGM-ER is being integrated on the Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft as well as the Air Force F-35A, Marine Corps F-35B, and Navy F-35C aircraft.
29 Sep 21. Italy funds arming of its Reaper drones. Italy has announced plans to arm its Reaper drones, six years after it first received permission from the U.S. to do so. Rome detailed planned spending of €59m (U.S. $69m) on the project over the next seven years in its 2021 budget, adding that the total outlay would rise to €168m. Funding will slowly kick off with €2m freed up in 2021 and 2022, followed by €5m in 2023, €45m per year from 2024 to 2026, and €5 m in 2027.
“Our vision is to equip the MQ-9s with a payload. It would be a normal evolution considering current threats,” an Air Force source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, told Defense News.
Italy operates both unarmed, upgraded Predator A drones as well as Reapers, and has deployed them to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans and Africa, notably in Libya during the 2011 NATO air operations there.
After lobbying the U.S. for permission to arm them in 2011, Italy finally got the green light in 2015 from the State Department, making it the second country after the U.K. to get approval.
Italy was offered at the time a $129.6 m deal, with General Atomics acting as prime contractor, for 156 AGM-114-R2 Hellfire II missiles, 20 GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, 30 GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions and other armaments.
Asked what munitions Italy would now be looking for, the Air Force source said: “We would likely be seeking the standard munitions.”
The decision not to jump on the U.S. offer in 2015 was likely linked to political sensitivities in Italy concerning armed drone missions, particularly following the entry into government in 2018 of the 5-Star Movement political party, which opposes certain arms purchases.
Since then the party has modified its stance while Italian defense spending has increased and as recent conflicts in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh have seen the widespread use of armed drones by regional players like Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Although funding plans appeared in the Defense Ministry’s budget, the project must now win the approval of the Italian parliament. The source said he’s unaware of when lawmakers will vote on the proposal, stating: “We cannot foresee the schedule, but we hope soon.” (Source: Defense News)
29 Sep 21. BHEL to supply upgraded SRGM for Indian Navy ships. The super rapid gun mount is the main gun on board several Indian Navy ships. India’s Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has received an order from Goa Shipyard to supply an upgraded super rapid gun mount (SRGM). The order includes the supply, installation and commissioning of the entire system, including upgraded SRGM and accessories for the Indian Navy’s Triput-class frigates. BHEL’s Haridwar unit will undertake the manufacture of the system. SRGM is the primary gun on board most Indian Navy ships. The upgraded SRGM is an advanced weapon system capable of managing different kinds of ammunition to engage ‘manoeuvring and non-manoeuvring’, radio-controlled targets. It has the capability to fire advanced ammunition with higher range, as well as programmable ammunition.
BHEL in a statement said: “BHEL has been a reliable supplier of critical equipment and services in the defence and aerospace sector for over three decades with the aim of making a major contribution towards self-reliance in these sectors.
“Towards this, BHEL has established dedicated, intricate manufacturing and inspection facilities at its manufacturing plants, for production, installation and commissioning and lifecycle support of various products and components.”
The order will support India’s ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This initiative is aimed at achieving self-reliance in the critical field of Defence equipment.
In November last year, Indian Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik announced that the Indian Navy is likely to execute orders worth $51bn for surface ships and submarines from 2020 to 2030. (Source: naval-technology.com)
01 Oct 21. China Unveils Loyal Wingman Armed Drone Concept. China has revealed a drone concept similar in mission – and appearance – to the U.S.-made Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie as countries race to invest in “loyal wingman” drones to help protect pricier crewed fighter jets.
The long-range FH-97 drone concept unveiled on Wednesday can carry different types of weapons, and has swarm and electronic warfare capabilities, said Wu Wei, a representative of China Aerospace Science Technology Corp’s (CASTC) Feihong product line. He did not provide specifics in his presentation at Airshow China in Zhuhai.
The United States, Britain, Australia, India and Russia are among the countries developing “loyal wingman” drones, which are cheaper and more expendable than crewed fighters.
CASTC did not provide technical details of the FH-97 concept, nor say whether it was planned for export, though many foreign observers watched the presentation.
The FH-97’s appearance is nearly identical to the Kratos XQ-58A, which made its first flight in 2019. The XQ-58A has a maximum speed of Mach 0.85 and a range of about 2,200 nautical miles.
Zhang Zhongyang, vice president of CASTC said the plan was to turn Feihong into an “international top-notch brand… and become a major player at the centre stage of the world arena.”
China has exported military drones to countries including the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Serbia.
“The chief customer is certainly the PLA, but in recent years the Chinese are also aggressively marketing these systems for exports,”
said Collin Koh, a defence research fellow with Singapore’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
China also used the country’s biggest air show to display the weapons capability of one of its most advanced stealth attack drone projects, the GJ-11.
The Global Times reported that the GJ-11 on display at the show had its two weapons bays open for the first time. Inside each were four unidentified munitions that appeared to be precision air-to-ground glide bombs.
Bradley Perrett, a specialist on Asian aerospace and defence, said the GJ-11 was designed to slip undetected through radar coverage and attack heavily defended targets.
“In doing that, it would take the place of a much larger and more expensive fighter with a pilot,” he said. “Development won’t be easy, but when it’s complete the type will present a new threat to Taiwan and potentially Japan.”
Chinese companies have 27 drone exhibits at the Zhuhai show. (Source: UAS VISION/KFGO/Reuters)
29 Sep 21. India Buys 4 Israeli Herons to Upgrade with Missiles. India has finalised the deal to buy four new Heron TP drones from Israel that will initially be used in surveillance and reconnaissance missions, but will eventually be upgraded and armed with missiles for precision strikes under Project Cheetah when it kicks off. Defence sources said a contract to this effect has been signed and that the drones should arrive by the end of this year. Sources added that while the initial plan was to lease the four drones from Israel, India later decided to buy them instead. When Project Cheetah is finalised, the Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Heron TP UAVs in the inventory of the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will not just be upgraded with advanced satellite communication and sensors for longer surveillance and reconnaissance missions, but are also likely to be armed with air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided munitions for precision strikes. Earlier this month, the Army had also signed a contract to procure over 100 explosives-carrying drones ‘SkyStriker’ to be manufactured by a Bengaluru-based joint venture between Israel’s Elbit System and India’s Alpha Design. (Source: UAS VISION/News 18)
28 Sep 21. India conducts first flight test of Akash Prime missile. The new version of the Akash Missile intercepted and destroyed an uncrewed aerial target. India has conducted the first flight test of a new version of the Akash Missile called Akash Prime from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, in the state of Odisha. During the maiden test, the missile intercepted and destroyed an uncrewed aerial target.
ITR’s range stations, including Radars, Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and Telemetry stations, monitored the missile trajectory and other flight parameters during the trial.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed Akash Prime as a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.
It is equipped with an indigenous active radio-frequency (RF) seeker for improved accuracy.
The new missile system also incorporates other improvements to offer a more reliable performance under low-temperature environments at higher altitudes.
The test used the modified ground system of the existing Akash weapon system for the flight test.
Indian Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) and other industry stakeholders for the successful trial. He added that the flight test proves the competence of DRDO in the design and development of world-class missile systems.
Separately, DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy said that the Akash Prime system will increase the confidence of the Indian Army and IAF.
Earlier this year, DRDO tested the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG). The missile was tested from a land-based platform with all weapon system elements.
Both Akash Prime and Akash NG are variants of the Akash Missile, an all-weather medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed in India. (Source: army-technology.com)
28 Sep 21. N. Korea fires missile, accuses U.S. of ‘double standards.’ North Korea fired a missile towards the sea off its east coast on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, as Pyongyang called on the United States and South Korea to scrap their “double standards” on weapons programmes to restart talks. The missile was launched from the central north province of Jagang at around 6:40 a.m. (2140 GMT), the South’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Japan’s defence ministry said it appeared to be a ballistic missile, without elaborating.
The latest test underscored the steady development of North Korea’s weapons systems, raising the stakes for stalled talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear and ballistic missile arsenals in return for U.S. sanctions relief.
The launch came just before North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations urged the United States to give up its hostile policy towards Pyongyang and said no one could deny his country’s right to self defence and to test weapons.
South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in ordered aides to conduct a detailed analysis of the North’s recent moves.
“We regret that the missile was fired at a time when it was very important to stabilise the situation of the Korean peninsula,” defence ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan told a briefing.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the launch highlighted “the destabilising impact” of the North’s illicit weapons programmes, while the U.S. State Department also condemned the test.
‘DOUBLE STANDARDS’
At the U.N. General Assembly, North Korea’s U.N. envoy, Kim Song, said the country was shoring up its self-defence and if the United States dropped its hostile policy and “double standards,” it would respond “willingly at any time” to offers to talks. read more
“But it is our judgment that there is no prospect at the present stage for the U.S. to really withdraw its hostile policy,” Kim said.
Referring to a call by Moon last week for a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War, Kim said Washington needed to permanently stop joint military exercises with South Korea and remove “all kinds of strategic weapons” on and around the peninsula.
The United States stations various cutting edge military assets including nuclear bombers and fighter jets in South Korea, Guam and Japan as part of efforts to keep not only North Korea but also an increasingly assertive China in check.
Kim’s speech was in line with Pyongyang’s recent criticism that Seoul and Washington denounce its weapons development while continuing their own military activities. read more
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has said the North is willing to improve inter-Korean ties and consider another summit if Seoul abandons its double standards and hostile policy toward Pyongyang. read more
“The conditions she suggested were essentially to demand that the North be accepted as a nuclear weapons state,” said Shin Beom-chul, a senior fellow at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy in Seoul.
“Their goal is to achieve that prestige and drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington, taking advantage of Moon’s craving for diplomatic legacy as his term is running out.”
Moon, a liberal who has prioritised inter-Korean ties, sees declaring an end to the Korean War, even without a peace treaty to replace an armistice, as a way to revive denuclearisation negotiations between the North and the United States.
However, Moon, who has been in office for a single term, faces sagging popularity ahead of a presidential election in March.
Hopes for ending the war were raised after a historic summit between Kim Jong Un and then U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018. But that possibility, and the momentum for talks came to nothing, with talks stalled since 2019. (Source: Reuters)
27 Sep 21. U.S. successfully flight tests Raytheon hypersonic weapon -Pentagon. The United States has tested an air-breathing hypersonic weapon capable of speeds faster than five times the speed of sound, marking the first successful test of the class of weapon since 2013, the Pentagon said on Monday.
The test took place as the United States and its global rivals quicken their pace to build hypersonic weapons – the next generation of arms that rob adversaries of reaction time and traditional defeat mechanisms.
In July, Russia said it had successfully tested a Tsirkon(Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, a weapon President Vladimir Putin has touted as part of a new generation of missile systems without equal in the world. read more
The free flight test of the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) occurred last week, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, said in a statement.
“This brings us one step closer to transitioning HAWC to a program of record that offers next generation capability to the U.S. military,” said Andrew Knoedler, HAWC program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. There is no target date for that transition, but Knoedler told Reuters, “we are readying our next vehicles and working toward additional flight tests later in the year.”
Hypersonic weapons travel in the upper atmosphere at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound, or about 6,200 kilometers (3,853 miles) per hour.
“The missile, built by Raytheon Technologies (RTX.N), was released from an aircraft seconds before its Northrop Grumman (NOC.N) scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) engine kicked on,” DARPA said.
“The DoD (Department of Defense) has identified hypersonic weapons and counter-hypersonic capabilities as the highest technical priorities for our nation’s security,” said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon’s Missiles & Defense business unit.
“The United States, and our allies, must have the ability to deter the use of these weapons and the capabilities to defeat them,” he said.
“Investments in hypersonic strike have begun to pay dividends, answering the progress already made by the likes of Russia and China,” Tom Karako, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Reuters.
In 2019, Raytheon teamed up with Northrop Grumman to develop and produce engines for hypersonic weapons. Northrop’s scramjet engine technology uses the vehicle’s high speed to forcibly compress incoming air before combustion to enable sustained flight at hypersonic speeds.
“The HAWC vehicle operates best in oxygen-rich atmosphere, where speed and maneuverability make it difficult to detect in a timely way. It could strike targets much more quickly than subsonic missiles and has significant kinetic energy even without high explosives,” DARPA said in a statement.
Dan Olson, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Weapon Systems Division, said “decades of learning advanced manufacturing techniques and industry partnerships helped us define what is now possible.” (Source: Reuters)
27 Sep 21. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Northrop Grumman successfully test fire hypersonic weapon. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) business, in partnership with Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), successfully completed the first flight test of a scramjet-powered Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, or HAWC, for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the U.S. Air Force. The companies are on track to deliver a prototype system to the U.S. Department of Defense.
During the test, HAWC was carried under the wing of an aircraft before it was released. Seconds later, a solid rocket motor boosted HAWC to supersonic speeds, where the scramjet engine ignited and accelerated the missile, enabling it to reach hypersonic flight. The test validates the ability of HAWC’s airframe and propulsion system to reach and cruise at hypersonic speeds.
“This is a history-making moment, and this success paves the way for an affordable, long-range hypersonic system in the near term to strengthen national security,” said Colin Whelan, vice president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “This test proves we can deliver the first operational hypersonic scramjet, providing a significant increase in warfighting capabilities.”
Scramjet engines use high vehicle speed to forcibly compress incoming air before combustion to enable sustained flight at hypersonic speeds – Mach 5 or greater – which is five times the speed of sound. By traveling at these speeds, hypersonic weapons like HAWC are able to reach their targets more quickly than traditional missiles, allowing them to potentially evade defense systems.
“We have reached a milestone in delivering a game-changing capability to the warfighter,” said Dan Olson, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems Division for Northrop Grumman. “Decades of learning advanced manufacturing techniques and industry partnerships helped us define what is now possible.”
28 Sep 21. Morocco Receives First Batch of Turkish Combat Drones. The unofficial page of the Moroccan Armed Forces on Facebook, Far-Maroc, reported that Morocco received the first batch of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 combat drones. Local Moroccan media said that Rabat ordered 13 Bayraktar TB2 drones in April following a $70 m signed contract with the private Turkish company Baykar. Baykar is run by one of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s sons-in-law and has been exporting its Bayraktar TB2 to Ukraine, Qatar and Azerbaijan. A circulated report mentioned that Rabat aims to “modernize the arsenal of the Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) in order to prepare for any danger and recent hostilities.” The report also claimed that Moroccan military personnel have been trained for weeks in Turkey on how to operate the drones.
According to local military experts, Morocco uses drones for intelligence purposes and to monitor its borders. The arrival of the Turkish combat drones comes amid a diplomatic crisis between Algeria and Morocco. (Source: UAS VISION/Almaydeen)
25 Sep 21. Rostec Launches Mass Production of Precision Weaponry Defense Systems. The Central Scientific – Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering (TSNIITOCHMASH) of Rostec State Corporation has launched the mass production of unified precision weaponry defense systems for advanced military vehicles. The product is designed to protect the TOS-2 heavy flamethrower system, the PRP-5 reconnaissance vehicle, and the Zavet-D automated artillery control systems.
The system incorporates attack warning sensors, control and indication equipment, launching devices and obscurant ordnance, and is designed to protect vehicles from precision weaponry with laser, optical, thermal and radar targeting.
“When the enemy attacks, the system detects the threat and “hides” the equipment behind a veil of combined jamming. Thanks to this, the munition loses contact with the target, goes off the attacking course or continues to fly “blind” in inertial mode without precise targeting. Tests have shown that the system is capable of protecting equipment during combat and on the march against anti-tank missiles, as well as against aerial attacks by precision aviation weapons,” said Bekhan Ozdoyev, Industrial Director of the Armaments, Ammunitions and Special Chemicals Cluster of Rostec.
The company is highly competent in the field of optical-electronic defenses of military equipment against precision weaponry. It manufactures protection systems for the Iskander operational-tactical missile system, the PRP-4A mobile reconnaissance unit and other combat vehicles.
TSNIITOCHMASH forms part of Rostec State Corporation as a directly managed organization. The company is a center of research and development of small arms, ammunition, training systems, combat suits and other weapons, as well as means of protection of weapons and military equipment from high-precision weapons. TSNIITOCHMASH’s products are used by Russian and foreign defense and law enforcement agencies.
TSNIITOCHMASH’s developments include the second generation of the Ratnik combat gear outfit, underwater weapons APS and SPP-1, the guidance system for the Kornet anti-tank guided missile, the Nona and Lotus self-propelled mortar systems, the Gyurza pistol, etc.
Rosteс State Corporation is one of the largest industrial companies in Russia. It unites more than 800 scientific and industrial organizations in 60 regions of the country. Its key areas of activity are aircraft engineering, radio-electronics, medical technologies, innovative materials, etc. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Rostec State Corporation;)
24 Sep 21. Czech CAESAR SPHs more expensive than expected. The Czech government plans to sign an agreement to buy 52 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) by the end of September, Czech Ministry of Defence spokesperson Petr Sýkora told Janes on 22 September. Czech Finance Minister Alena Schillerová said during a press briefing after a cabinet meeting on 13 September that the government had approved procurement of the howitzer. Czech Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar tweeted the same day that Czech industry would have a 40% share in the procurement. When Metnar first announced the procurement in June 2020, the cost of 52 CAESAR howitzers produced by Nexter and Tatra Trucks was expected to be CZK5.95bn (USD270 m), but this has since risen to CZK8.52bn. Czech government documents seen by Janes give as reasons for this increase inflation, the global rise in steel prices, and Prague’s 40% localisation requirement. Janes also understands that there are some non-recurring costs for the transfer of production and know-how to Czech industry. (Source: Jane’s)
27 Sep 21. The Czech Republic’s Ground Air Defense System Will Be Procured from the Government of the State of Israel. On Monday, September 27, 2021, the Minister of Defense Lubomír Metnar informed the government about the acquisition of a new ground air defense missile system SPYDER from the production of the Israeli state company Rafael for the Air Force of the Czech Army. This is a purchase in the form of an intergovernmental agreement, which is the most advantageous in terms of a high degree of security and security of supply.
“I appreciate the willingness of the Israeli government to share with us a state-of-the-art defense system that will move our military towards 21st century capabilities. Finally, we will get rid of our dependence on Soviet CUBs from the 1970s, which do not meet the current requirements for airspace protection, “stressed Minister of Defense Lubomír Metnar.
Missile systems form the basic pillar of any air defense. Therefore, the acquisition of a new generation defense system is one of the main priorities of military modernization. The anti-aircraft missile system ensures continuous protection of urban agglomerations, nuclear power plants, industrial centers, airports and other important places and objects, against all means of air attack.
More than 30% involvement of Czech industry
The Ministry of Defense will pay a total of CZK 13.69bn (537m euros at today’s exchange rate—Ed.), including VAT, for the supply of the SPYDER system according to the specifications and needs of the Czech Army. Czech industry will be directly involved in the supply and service. The total share of the domestic industry in the fulfillment of the contract will reach more than the 30% required by the ministry from the value of the entire project.
This will provide Czech companies with new development opportunities and the army to quickly achieve full operational capabilities, as well as maintain them throughout the period of use. The main partners for the Israeli state-owned company Rafael will be the Czech companies RETIA and the state-owned company Vojenský technický ústav.
The agreed price of the new system is final and its amount has been confirmed both by internal opposition proceedings within the Ministry of Defense and by the Israeli government.
Negotiations have succeeded in reducing the price by 2bn
“We managed to reduce the initial indicative Israeli offer by 2bn crowns during the negotiations. On the contrary, it is clear that there must have been an increase compared to the expected value based on market research in 2016, “said Lubor Koudelka, Deputy Minister for Armaments and Acquisitions.
The current price takes into account the constant growth of prices of advanced defense technologies on the world market, the growth of inflation and the prices of all inputs, the growth of the value of highly qualified work, or the transfer of some technologies and know-how directly to the Czech Republic. If the Czech Republic were to postpone the purchase of a new missile system, the total cost to the defense budget would continue to rise over time.
Extensive negotiations took place between the Czech and Israeli parties on technical issues as well as the contractual relationship itself. The team of the Ministry of Defense was also supported by legal experts from the law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS, who, thanks to their extensive experience in international negotiations, helped the Ministry to negotiate very favorable conditions for the Czech Republic.
System for 20 and more years
The military will use the new ground air defense system for 20 years or more. Therefore, it calculated and published the expected costs for the entire period of its use in the amount of approximately CZK 23 bn, of which the amount paid to the Israeli side for the provided service support would amount to a maximum of CZK 7.5 bn including VAT. The costs of ensuring a twenty-year life cycle include not only the costs of service and maintenance, but also all other ancillary and operating costs of the Ministry of Defense, including the costs of salaries and training of soldiers, vehicle and fuel operation, or investment in real estate infrastructure.
In the preparatory period, the military assessed a total of nine ground air defense systems from seven manufacturers. It preferred the SPYDER system made by the Israeli state company Rafael as the most suitable. From the point of view of the army, it best meets its requirements and has proven itself in real combat conditions. The Ministry of Defense began negotiations with the Government of the State of Israel on the possibility of acquiring a new modern anti-aircraft missile system in November 2020. Deliveries of the new missile system will take place by 2026.
(Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/Czech Republic Ministry of Defense)
27 Sep 21. China’s Big New Twin-Jet Long-Endurance Armed Combat Drone on Show. China’s big international airshow in Zhuhai hasn’t even officially kicked off yet, but we are already getting a peek at what is going to be displayed there. We are getting our first lifesize view of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s Cai Hong (Rainbow) 6, better known by its designation CH-6. It is a long-endurance, twin-jet engine, multirole drone. In the past, we have only seen models and low-fidelity renderings of the design.
The CH-6 is considered to be a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned system designed for intelligence gathering, support, and strike roles. It looks almost something like a drastically enlarged CH-5, but its rear configuration is very different from that earlier design. It has a high T-tail setup, with two jet engines installed atop the tail section side-by-side. The drone’s mid-set long wings are also a bit swept and the entire package sits atop tall landing gear. The aircraft also has a notable chine-line-like edge that wraps around its ellipse-shaped fuselage.
According to China-Arms.com, which claims to have the basic information that will be displayed about the CH-6 at the airshow, its stats include:
The CH-6 UAV’s parameters include maximum takeoff weight of 7.8 tons, maximum load capacity of 300 kg (reconnaissance type) or 2 tons (reconnaissance-attack type), fuel capacity of 3.42 tons (reconnaissance type) or 1.72 tons (reconnaissance-attack type), overall length of 15 meters, wingspan of 20.5 meters, height of 5 meters, maximum level flight speed of 800 km/h, cruise speed of 500 km/h to 700 km/h, cruise altitude of 10 km, ceiling of 12 km, a maximum endurance of 20 hours (reconnaissance type) or 8 hours (reconnaissance-attack type), a maximum range of 12,000km (reconnaissance type) or 4,500km (reconnaissance-attack type), a maximum climb rate of 20m/s, and an operating radius (apparent) of 300km.
The CH-6 seems to be situated in a capability space between its medium-altitude, medium-endurance, unstealthy unmanned combat aircraft brethren — as well as China’s long-endurance, medium-altitude, propeller-powered surveillance types — and more advanced high-altitude, long-endurance intelligence-gathering and sensor craft jet-powered drones. The fact that it will be capable of being armed from the outset is a clear indication that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force is looking to push its unmanned kinetic capabilities farther afield than what is possible now.
The aircraft’s jet speed will favorably impact transit times to patrol or target areas and maximize its endurance once there. Two engines would increase reliability, as well, which could be key considering the distances involved with operating an aircraft like this and the less-developed state of Chinese jet engine technology. In fact, the most similar of China’s unmanned aircraft we know of to the CH-6 is probably the Cloud Shadow.
It is a single jet engine design that also has a lot in common with previous Chinese propeller-driven combat drone designs, but is smaller and lighter than the CH-6. Both aircraft can accomplish surveillance and kinetic missions, but the CH-6 would likely be even better suited for the former due to its size and weight, allowing multiple sensor systems — and large ones at that — to be carried over long distances and at higher altitudes.
As far as the United States goes, the closest thing to the CH-6 is probably General Atomics’ Avenger, although the CH-6 puts less emphasis on low-observability in its design and appears capable of higher altitude operations for some mission types. The Avenger could probably be better classed as somewhere between the CH-6 and Cloud Shadow, in limited respects. Also, the CH-6 is a simpler overall design.
This is a big deal, as it could provide China with an ‘everyday’ high-altitude, long-endurance platform that is not very sensitive in nature or expensive to procure and operate. It can be a platform that potentially provides a kinetic punch but can also haul around larger sensors and other payloads when required, all with twin jet engine reliability. Once again, this would fill the unmanned flying ‘sensor truck’ gap that exists between aircraft like the more advanced jet-powered Soar Dragon and the lower-performance propeller-powered TB-001. Being far from exquisite, especially compared to some of the stealthy unmanned aircraft China is currently pursuing, means that the CH-6 can also probably be bought, and even lost, in significant numbers.
With that in mind, the CH-6 may not be sexy or cutting-edge, but it could prove to be extremely important to the PLA’s long-range ambitions. (Source: UAS VISION/The Drive)
23 Sep 21. US Army division starts operational testing of new sniper system. The operational testing of MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) began following equipment training.
Special Operations Snipers participated in new equipment training before starting the MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR) airdrop test. Credit: Mr James Finney, Audio Visual Production Specialist, Base and Test Support Services contractor / US Army.
The 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army has started operational testing of the new sniper system called the MK-22 Precision Sniper Rifle (PSR).
The new sniper system is configured for multi-calibres and can be reconfigured without higher-level maintenance. PSR also extends target engagement ranges.
US Army 82nd Airborne Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion sniper Sergeant Austin Stevens said: “The increased engagement range will keep Snipers safer and increase the options for the local commander employing these combat multipliers.”
Another soldier said that PSR is equipped with a folding stock and removable suppression system, which will provide airborne snipers with a more compact load during airborne infiltration operations without compromising with lethality.
Before the testing began, snipers from the airborne and special operations community participated in equipment training.
Training included getting acquainted with the system and its maintenance, as well as sessions on target engagement, system configuration and zeroing procedures.
Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate (ABNSOTD) deputy chief of test Larry Harris said: “The critical task in testing any small arms platform intended for use by airborne forces is ensuring zero retention of the primary optic subsequent to airborne insertion.
“This is a critical gauge of the Paratrooper’s lethality during airfield seizure and other follow-on operations.”
This performance measure was assessed by the ABNSOTD test team with an airdrop test. During the test, the team applied mobile weapons boresight collimator to the rifle to ensure that PSR’s pre-mission zero was not degraded due to shock. PSR is expected to receive fielding clearance following the completion of the operational testing. (Source: army-technology.com)
23 Sep 21. Successful Test Demos Aerojet Rocketdyne Arkansas Site Ready to Produce Large Solid Rocket Motors. Aerojet Rocketdyne recently conducted a solid rocket motor test firing that demonstrated the successful transition of large solid rocket motor mix, cast and test operations from Sacramento, California, to its Camden, Arkansas, site.
“Aerojet Rocketdyne continues to advance its decades of work delivering large solid rocket motors, leveraging new facilities and innovative technology and materials,” said Eileen P. Drake, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and president. “Our Camden site is now proven ready to support the nation’s defense requirements for large solid rocket motors.”
The motor was cast at Camden’s Engineering, Manufacturing and Development facility, which was officially opened last October. Aerojet Rocketdyne has been steadily building its capabilities and team at its Camden site, growing its workforce by more than 70% over the past five years.
Measuring 52 inches in diameter and weighing roughly 7,800 pounds, the eSR-73 is designed as an upper stage that can function as a second or third stage for a variety of large solid rocket motor applications. Aerojet Rocketdyne has produced large solid rocket motors for critical defense and space programs for decades.
The test firing of the eSR-73 demonstration motor builds upon work performed by Aerojet Rocketdyne for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory on the Missile Components Advanced Technologies Demonstration Motor (MCAT Demo) program. The MCAT Demo motor was successfully test-fired last year at the Utah Test and Training Range.
Both tests demonstrated state-of-the-art graphite composite cases, affordable advanced nozzles and high-energy, long-life solid propellant. The eSR-73 is a step closer to production readiness and served as a pathfinder for producing and handling large solid rocket motors at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Camden site. (Source: ASD Network)
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Arnold Defense has manufactured more than 1.25 m 2.75-inch rocket launchers since 1961 for the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and many NATO customers. They are the world’s largest supplier of rocket launchers for military aircraft, vessels and vehicles. Core products include the 7-round M260 and 19-round M261 commonly used by helicopters; the thermal coated 7-round LAU-68 variants and LAU-61 Digital Rocket Launcher used by the U.S. Navy and Marines; and the 7-round LAU-131 and SUU-25 flare dispenser used by the U.S. Air Force and worldwide.
Today’s rocket launchers now include the ultra-light LWL-12 that weighs just over 60 pounds (27 kg.) empty and the new Fletcher (4) round launcher. Arnold Defense designs and manufactures various rocket launchers that can be customized for any capacity or form factor for platforms in the air, on the ground or even at sea.
Arnold Defense maintains the highest standards of production quality by using extensive testing, calibration and inspection processes.
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